Coin-collection apparatus



Feb. 18, 1930. c, WHEELER 1,747,199

COIN COLLEGTI ON APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25, 1929 IIIII n HIIII I 24 I Z7 /NVENTOR U. h! WHEELER MdmM ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLYDE H. WHEELER, OF MIDLAND PARK BOROUGH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 WEST- ERIN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK COIN-COLLECTION APPARATUS Application filed January 25, 1929. Serial No. 334,885.

This invention relates to coin collection apparatus in which a coin or token is deposited for the use of an instrument.

More particularly the invention relates to telephone toll apparatus such as that described in Patent N 0. 1,043,219, to O. F. Forsberg patented November 5, 1912, where one or more coins are deposited for the use of a telephone instrument, the deposited coins indicating to a telephone operator through the instrumentality of a signal, the fact that they have been deposited. This type of apparatus is incorporated in what are known as telephone pay stations.

A common form of signaling apparatus used in connection with telephone pay stations or the like includes a coin chute in which channels are formed and alongwhich the deposited coin travel and are guided to a signal device that is sounded by the impact of the coin. The signal device ordinarily consists of a gong which is attached directly to the inner wall of the housing which contains the telephone apparatus. Attached to the outer wall of the housing is the microphone transmitter through which the signal made by a deposited coin is transmitted to the telephone operator. When a coin is deposited it travels along the coin chute and strikes the signal gong causing it to vibrate. The vibrations of the gong travel through the supporting housing to the transmitter.

The object of this invention is to prevent the fraudulent transmission of a signal to the telephone operator.

In accordance with this invention means is provided for preventing vibration of the signal gong by blows struck on the outside of the supporting housing. A weighted pendulum member is attached to the inner wall of the housing adjacent the signal gong. A blow on the outside of the housing causes the pendulum member to swing against a lever which carries a felt pad arranged on either side of the signal. The lever is pivoted and adjusted to be normally in a balanced condition with the felt pads out of contact with the signal. The blow on the housing causes, through the agency of the pendulum member, the pivoted lever to assume an unbalanced condition with one or the other of the felt pads against the signal until such time as the energy imparted through the blow on the housing is consumed after which the lever assume its balanced position with the felt pads clear of the signal.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a partial back view of a coin collection device, embodying this invention, with a portion of the cover of the coin chute removed to show the channel through which a coin travels to actuate one otthe signals.

Fig. 2 is a view of the signal adapted to be operated by a coin traveling in the channel shown in Fig. 1 together with a damping device adapted to cooperate with the signal.

The metallic housing 5 has mounted therein the coin chute 6. On the upper portion of the housing 5 is the coin gauge 7 in which coin slots 8, 9 and 10 (shown in dotted outline) are provided for the reception of coins of Various sizes or denominations. For example the slot 8 is adapted to gauge and receive a twenty-five cent coin, the slot 9 is adapted to receive a five-cent coin and the slot 10 is adapted to receive a ten-cent coin. The chute 6 has channels formed therein to guide the coin deposited in the coin gauge 7 to operate the proper signals. The five-cent and ten-cent coins deposited in slots 9 and 10 respectively drop through openings (not shown) in the upper portion of the housing 5 and pass through their respective channels (not shown) in the chute 6 to strike the signal gong 11. A twenty-five cent coin deposited in slot 8 passes into the channel 12 in chute 6 and strikes the signal gong 13 after which it continues through the channel 12 and passes from the lower end of the chute 6 into a suitable container (not shown). 7

The signal gong 13 is secured to an exten sion 14 from the inner wall 15 of the housing 5 by means of the machine screw 16 which is adapted to screw into a threaded hole in the extension 14.

The gong damping device for the damping of the vibration set up in the gong 13 by a blow on the housing 5 consists of the lever 21 which at its upper end has two forked members 2222 lined with the felt pads 2323 which are normally closely arranged on both sides of but out of contact with the gong 13. The lever 21 has at its lower end the weighted portion 24. The lever 21 is pivotally attached to the extensions 2525 from the inner wall 15 of the housing 6 by means of the machine screws 26-26 which are screwed into threaded holes in the extensions 2525. Normally the weighted portion 24 of the lever 21 fits closely within the recess 27 but out of contact with the walls of the recess in the enlarged lower portion 20 of the pendulum member 17. The pendulum member 17 is pivotally mounted at its upper end on the machine screw 18' which screws into a threaded hole in the extension 19 from the inner wall 15 of the housing 5.

Normally the weighted portion 20 of the pendulum member 17 rests in contact with the inner wall 15 of the housing 6. The walls of the recess 27 are just out of contact with the weighted portion 24 of the lever 21. The lever 21 is in a state of equilibrium with the felt pads 23-23 out of contact with the gong 13. A twenty-five cent coin deposited in the slot 8 will travel through the channel 12 and strike the gong 13 and set it in vibration in the usual way.

If a blow is struck against the housing 5 in an attempt to vibrate the gong 13 to deceive the operator into thinking that a coin has been deposited, the blow on the housing 5 causes the pendulum member 17 to swing its weighted portion 20 against the weighted portion 24 of the lever 21. This, since the lever 21 is pivoted at its mid-point, causes the lever 21 to assume an unbalanced condition with one or other of the felt pads 23-23 against the gong 13 until such time as the energy imparted through the blow on the housing is consumed after which the lever 21 assumes its balanced position with the felt pads 2 32'3 clear of the gong 13 and the pendulum member comes to rest with its weighted portion 20 against the inner wall 15 01. the housing 5.

lVhile the foregoing explanation has, for the purpose of illustration, described the prevention of the actuation of a vibratory gong signal by a blow external to the housing in which the signal is contained it should be understood that the invention is not limited to means for preventing the vibration of a signal gong, but may include means for the prevention of the actuation of other types of signals, for example, electrical contacts adapted to be opened or closed by a deposited coin.

\Vhat is claimed is:

1. A coin collection apparatus comprising a housing, a coin chute within said housing, a signal to be operated by coins deposited in said chute, and means operable in response to a blow on said housing for preventing the operation of said signal.

2. A coin collection apparatus comprising a housing, a coin chute Within said housing, a signal to be vibrated by coins deposited in said chute, and means set in motion by a blow on said housing and efi ective to prevent the vibration of said signal.

3. A coin collection apparatus comprising a housing, a coin chute within said housing, a signal to be operated by coins deposited in said chute, and a clamping member normally out of contact with said signal for preventing the operation of said signal through a blow on said housing.

4. A coin collection apparatus comprising a housing, a coin chute within said housing, a signal to be vibrated by coins deposited in said chute, and a displaceable damping member normally out of contact with said signal for preventing the vibration of said signal through a blow on said housin v 5. A coin collection apparatus comprising a housing, a coin chute within said housing, a signal to be operated by coins deposited in said chute, a damping member for preventing the operation of said signal through a blow on said housing, and a pendulum member for actuating said damping member.

6. A coin collection apparatus comprising a housing, a coin chute within said housing, a signal to be vibrated by coins deposited in said chute, a clamping member for prevent ing the vibration of said signal through a blow on said housing, and a pendulum member for actuating said damping member.

7. A coin collection apparatus comprising a housing, a coin chute within said housing, means for indicating the denomination of a coin deposited in said chute, and displaceable means movable in response to a blow on said housing for preventing the actuation of said first mentioned means.

8. A coin collection apparatus comprising a housing, a coin chute within said housing, a signal to be vibrated by coins deposited within said chute, a balanced damping member for preventing the vibration of said sig nal, and a pendulum member for disturbing the balance of said damping member to damp said signal when a blow is struck on said housing.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 24th day of January. 1929.

CLYDE H. WHEELER. 

